Working With Your Spouse?

There are several successful couples that come to mind when I think of spouses who work together.  Someone I know from high school posted a cute article (The Truth About Being Married at Work) on her site this morning that got me thinking...

My ultimate long-term goal for business has been to grow to a point where my husband, Jason, could leave his job.  His employer requires him to work late hours, Monday through Saturday, 60+ hours a week.  I'm sure some of you can relate to husbands with jobs that keep him from spending time with family.  Doesn't this remind you that working for yourself and setting your own hours is fabulous?!

Jason and I (2005)

Jason took two days off in early January to spend time with our boys while I attended a conference.  I was thrilled that he would get a firsthand look at how challenging my day is and how difficult it can be to accomplish much with two busy one-year-olds.  He promptly asked me at the end of his two day reign if I'd prefer to go back to teaching rather than stay at home with the boys!  Well, that wasn't the point of this little experiment but I did accomplish my goal of getting his attention!

I'm not sure that Jason would be happy to be home all the time.  I know several parents who don't feel that being at home full time is right for them.  But we'd get to spend more time as a family if he were to work-at-home with me.  He wouldn't miss out on so many special moments.  Having his business background, full time, would also be valuable for my business.  Being together 24/7 and working together would definitely require some adjustments.

All you happy co-working couples out there, I want to hear from you!  Tell me why you LOVE working with your spouse.  What were some aspects of your business, household, and/or marriage that needed tweaking to make it an effective arrangement?

And the rest of you, how would you feel about working with your spouse?

-Melissa